TodayPrice

Tag: Ruben Amorim

  • Onana to return in goal for Man Utd against Lyon – Amorim

    Onana to return in goal for Man Utd against Lyon – Amorim

    Andre Onana will be recalled for Manchester United’s season-defining Europa League quarter-final second leg against Lyon after his costly goalkeeping errors in the first leg, manager Ruben Amorim confirmed on Wednesday.

    The 29-year-old Cameroon international, who was to blame for the two goals that United conceded in last week’s 2-2 draw in France, was axed for Sunday’s 4-1 defeat at Newcastle.

    Back-up goalkeeper Altay Bayindir played at St James’ Park but Amorim told his pre-match press conference that Onana would be back in goal on Thursday, saying he was confident he would be “really good”.

    “Onana, he will play tomorrow,” Amorim said at his pre-match press conference.

    “As a coach, and also as a former player, I try to do things that can help a player in this situation,” added the United boss.

    “Sometimes we talk about managing players physically. We have to manage them also mentally but then they have to return to competition, and Onana is ready.

    “He had one weekend that I felt it was better for him to not play, and a good thing for Altay to play. This week, my thinking was to put Onana to play.”

    Amorim was pressed on whether United would need to sign a new goalkeeper in the summer transfer window after an inconsistent season from his number one.

    “My answer is that we need to improve every position on the field,” he said. “Goalkeeper is the same, we can work with Andre.

    “If our team scores more goals and is more dangerous on the forwards and the strikers, we will defend better. Andre Onana already proved that he is a top player at Inter (Milan).”

    Former United captain Harry Maguire also defended Onana, saying he had proved during his career that he is an “excellent goalkeeper”.“He’s going to be there tomorrow night,” he told reporters. “He is a big personality, a big character and he will be looking forward to the game. He will want to show everyone again what he is about.

    “Playing in front of Andre, it’s great. I have confidence in Andre, he has had a fantastic career. He has got great experience and we all know he is an excellent goalkeeper.”

    – Zirkzee out for season –
    Amorim also confirmed that forward Joshua Zirkzee would miss the rest of the season, adding to the club’s damaging injury list.

    The Netherlands international, 23, limped off in the second half of Sunday’s defeat at Newcastle after suffering a hamstring injury.

    “Joshua is out for the season,” said Amorim. “He will not play more this season, let’s prepare him for the next one.

    “It is tough for him, especially in this moment. He is improving in all aspects and it is hard for any player to stop.”

    United have endured a terrible season in the Premier League but can still end their campaign on a high by winning the Europa League, which would guarantee them a place in next season’s Champions League.

    Amorim said qualification for Europe’s top club competition would give United’s budget a major boost and “can change everything”.

    “But you can see it in both ways,” he said. “If you have the Champions League, it’s going to be tough to play against top teams on Wednesday and then top teams in the Premier League.

    “We are in the moment that you can feel that the team needs a lot of work. A lot of work means a lot of time to train.”

  • Cash-strapped Man Utd turn to Europa League to save season

    Cash-strapped Man Utd turn to Europa League to save season

    Manchester United’s financial crisis, exposed by co-owner Jim Ratcliffe this week, has heaped more pressure on Ruben Amorim’s men to deliver Europa League glory and a return to Champions League revenues next season.

    United host Real Sociedad on Thursday with their last-16 tie finely poised after a 1-1 draw in Spain last week.

    The Red Devils sit 14th in the Premier League meaning their hopes of salvaging a miserable season depend on European glory.

    Ahead of announcing plans for a new 100,000-seater stadium to replace Old Trafford on Tuesday, Ratcliffe defended the ruthless cost-cutting he has implemented throughout the club during his first year in charge.

    United have not yet detailed how they plan to finance the reported £2 billion ($2.6 billion) cost of the new stadium.

    Last month, the club announced that up to 200 further redundancies were anticipated after 250 jobs were cut last year.

    Ratcliffe claimed the club would have “run out of money at Christmas if we don’t do those things” in a series of media interviews.

    The English giants have made cumulative losses of £410 million in the last seven years after a series of expensive mistakes in the transfer market and in managerial hires.

    However, only once in the past 35 years have they missed out on European football entirely.

    That fate looks almost certain this season unless United lift the Europa League in Bilbao on May 21.

    “It’s massive,” said United midfielder Christian Eriksen of the Sociedad game.

    “We know there’s a lot of pressure on that game, but it also comes with being at this club.

    “You play for trophies so we have to play well to go through.”

    Sociedad are also dreaming of making the short trip to Bilbao for the final to salvage a disappointing campaign.

    Imanol Alguacil’s men sit 11th in La Liga and lost the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final 1-0 at home to Real Madrid.

    – Postecoglou on the brink –

    Tottenham, 13th in the Premier League, also desperately need Europa League glory to save their season.

    Rumours suggest manager Ange Postecoglou’s job depends on turning around a 1-0 first leg deficit against AZ Alkmaar in London.

    Postecoglou has been hampered by a lengthy injury list for most of the campaign, but has few excuses with Spurs finally approaching full strength.

    First-choice centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven made their return in Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Bournemouth, while record signing Dominic Solanke played 90 minutes for the first time in nearly two months.

    “We need everyone. From the supporters, players, staff, from the club, we need everybody with that game to turn it around,” said Spurs captain Son Heung-min.

    “Quality doesn’t bring the wins. The games always need a mentality and the care and the performance. Hard work always matters.

    “We need to be focused, take it seriously, respect our opponent and do everything we can to turn it around, especially at home.”

    Rangers already have one foot in the last eight after a stunning 3-1 first leg win away to Fenerbahce.

    “I don’t think it’s over,” said Fenerbahce boss Jose Mourinho. “The only thing I tell them is, don’t celebrate too much. Because there is a second match. It’s my only advice.”

    Athletic Bilbao must overturn a 2-1 first leg deficit against Roma to maintain their dream of playing the final in their home stadium.

    Lazio, Lyon and Eintracht Frankfurt are strong favourites to make the quarter-finals after away wins at Viktoria Plzen, FCSB and Ajax respectively last week.

    AFP

  • Real Sociedad aim to increase Man United misery in Europa League

    Real Sociedad aim to increase Man United misery in Europa League

    Real Sociedad are hoping to forget their struggles this season and compound Premier League giants Manchester United’s when they meet on Thursday in the Europa League last 16.

    The Basque side host Ruben Amorim’s tormented Red Devils in San Sebastian before the second leg at Old Trafford next week.

    Real Sociedad suffered a 4-0 thumping at La Liga leaders Barcelona on Sunday, continuing a poor domestic campaign, although they were missing several regular starters and were reduced to 10 men early on.

    “It’s in the past now and we have to prepare as best as we can for the game on Thursday,” said coach Imanol Alguacil.

    Sitting ninth in La Liga the Europa League represents their best hope of silverware this season, as is also the case for United, who flunked out of the FA Cup on penalties against Fulham on Sunday.

    La Real are also in the Copa del Rey semi-finals but a 1-0 home defeat by Real Madrid in the first leg leaves them in a tough spot before the return in April.

    With the Europa League final taking place at the home of their bitter rivals Athletic Bilbao, Alguacil’s side have all the stimulus they need.

    “It motivates Athletic for sure, and us too,” said club spokesman Xabi Prieto at the group stage draw in August.

    Luka Sucic and Spain’s Euro 2024 final hero Mikel Oyarzabal should return after knocks to face Manchester United.

    Live-wire winger Takefusa Kubo missed the defeat at Barcelona through suspension and will be fresh for Thursday’s clash.

    After Aritz Elustondo’s early red card against Barcelona, Alguacil said he made decisions with the Man United Europa League tie in mind, including taking off key midfielder Martin Zubimendi at half-time, as he was suffering some discomfort.

    “I thought about minimising the risks and about Thursday’s game, knowing that it was very difficult to get anything positive (against Barca),” explained Alguacil.

    Real Sociedad failed to take a single shot to Barca’s 33 as they conserved energy by sitting deep, with the United match the priority.

    – ‘Make them run’ –

    Manchester United are unbeaten in the Europa League this season but the visit to the Reale Arena is arguably their toughest test in the competition yet.

    On top of United’s poor form, with two wins in their last six games, the under-pressure Amorim has a spate of injury worries to contend with.

    Exciting teenage striker Chido Obi is also ineligible for the Europa League, with the low-on-confidence Rasmus Hojlund set to start despite not scoring in his last 18 matches.

    “It’s going to be a tough one, a Spanish team that plays brilliant football, very, very good players up front, very (high) quality coming out from the back,” said United playmaker Bruno Fernandes.

    “We need to be fresh to run again because they will make us run, and then when we have the ball, we have to make them run, too.”

    Success in the Europa League also seems the only possible pathway to European football next season for Manchester United, 14th in the Premier League.

    Defeat would rack up the tension ahead of a planned protest on Sunday against the Glazer family, who are still the club’s majority owners.

    “The club is slowly dying before our eyes, on and off the pitch, and the blame lies squarely at the current ownership model,” said Steve Crompton, a spokesman for fan group The 1958.

    “The club is facing financial armageddon. Debt is the road to ruin.

    “Sir Matt Busby would be turning in his grave at the current plight of one of the world’s greatest football institutions which is being brought to its knees and in many ways becoming a laughing stock.”

  • Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim needs three transfer windows to build squad for his system, says Gary Neville

    Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim needs three transfer windows to build squad for his system, says Gary Neville

    Gary Neville says Ruben Amorim will need two or three transfer windows to build a squad at Manchester United that can play his system.

    United are 15th in the table after Sunday’s defeat at Tottenham ensured Amorim has secured just four wins from his first 14 Premier League games in charge.

    Amorim wanted to delay his appointment at Old Trafford until the summer, reluctant to leave Sporting mid-season after Erik ten Hag’s sacking, but was told it was now or never.

    Results have deteriorated further under Amorim, but he is adamant that he will stick to his three-at-the-back system despite having limited time on the training ground to implement his ideas.

    Ruben Amorim says Manchester United must sell to buy in the summer which could further hinder their mission to rebuild the squad to suit his system; Amorim has won four of 14 Premier League games since being appointed Man Utd boss as he struggles to make his system work

    Amorim has said United have to sell to buy in the summer, potentially limiting their ability to shape the team in the head coach’s image, and Neville fears it could take him some time to build the right squad.

    “How quickly can Amorim, not just get good players in, but get players who can fit into this system?” the Sky Sports pundit said on The Gary Neville Podcast.

    “It’s a peculiar system, 3-4-3. It’s a system where you’ve got to find two midfield players who are good enough to play with each other and cover a lot of ground.

    “You’ve got to find three centre-backs – with two of the outside ones capable of playing out wide in the full-back areas, when the wing-backs go forward.

    “So you’re asking for specialists throughout the team. It’s not like other systems which are a little bit more forgiving.

    “How quickly can Amorim and the recruitment team at United get to a point where they can adapt this squad into a 3-4-3 squad?

    “It’s going to be a minimum of two to three transfer windows because of the investment that’s been made and we know clubs on the edge of PSR.

    “They’ve lost £300m in the last three years, so there’s a real struggle and a real fight to be able to spend the money that they need in the transfer market as well. There’s been a lot of waste in the last few years”.

    ‘Bruno only Man Utd player that would get in Spurs team

    Neville says captain Bruno Fernandes is the only Manchester United player that would get into the Tottenham team based on their performance levels since signing for the club.

    “You’d want to have Bruno in there,” Neville said onTodayPriceNG. “Maybe Amad, but to be honest with you, you’ve got [Dejan] Kulusevski or Amad, I’ll be honest with you, I think I’d be going with Kulusevski.

    “Every single Tottenham player, probably barring one, if they were all available, is better than every single Manchester United player. And that’s not being emotional, it’s not ranting anymore, we’ve gone past that now.

    “It’s just really sad that’s where Manchester United are currently at. But these players, is that the level that you thought those players were at, the Manchester United squad players were at, when they were signed?

    “No. It’s what happens to them when they get here. And we’ve seen players the other way, when they’ve left, actually start to thrive again.

    “What’s happening in the club at this moment in time, there’s a lot of redundancies off the pitch, there is a lot of uncertainty on the pitch.

    “They’ve had a manager sacked this season already, it’s not easy to perform in that environment. It’s been the same for 10 years and it’s still not changing at this moment in time.

    “Hopefully in the next two or three years, Ruben Amorim is given the time to be able to build a successful team and squad. But every single Tottenham player gets into their first XI.”